Abhay Verma is living the life he once dreamt of. Hailing from Panipat, a north Indian town, the 25-year-old actor is all over the headlines for his outstanding performance in the horror-comedy film Munjya.

Abhay Verma is living the life he once dreamt of. Hailing from Panipat, a north Indian town, the 25-year-old actor is all over the headlines for his outstanding performance in the horror-comedy film Munjya. Garnering a lot of appraise for his performance in Maddox's movie, Abhay started his journey by appearing in advertisements and went on to do numerous shows and films such as Safed, Little Things, Marzi, and Manoj Bajpayee's The Family Man 2, which has solidified Abhay's position in the industry, catapulting him into the limelight. Abhay started his journey from scratch, and after years of working, his hard work has finally paid off. Speaking to WION, Abhay expressed his gratitude towards the audience for making the movie a hit, Munjya 2 possibilities and about his journey as an outsider in the industry. Read the experts from the chat here. WION: Munjya being a huge hit, what do you have to say about the movie's success? Abhay: Coming from an outsider, getting this opportunity itself means the world to me. But, I wasn't ready for this kind of validation that people have given to Munjya. I really believe that the industry is not made by industry people, but it is very much made by the audiences and the love that they have to give to films or any specific actor. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maddock Films (@maddockfilms) × WION: Your role of Bittu in Munjya is getting an great response from the audience and critics alike. What are your views on the same? Abhay: Especially in my case, Bittu has touched hearts and he has been appreciated everywhere from the smallest to the eldest member of the family, all age groups. I believe the audience validation is something which I work for and if you receive love from them, it feels like you can achieve anything. Critics, even my colleagues all the people that I got inspired from like Vicky Kaushal, Ayushmann Khurrana, especially Karan Johar, people like them messaging me, a newcomer who comes from a small town Panipat, who has gotten this wonderful opportunity like Munjya. So, when such people message me whom you are inspired by, it's another level of validation, that makes you feel that you can be a part of bigger things in life you can do kinds of things that can influence people and expire them. So that's a responsibility which has come with love from Munjya. I just have an overwhelming phase of my life where I always pinch myself every hour and this is a feeling that is too good to be true and I really have no words right now to define it. WION: Is there any possibility of Munjya 2? Abhay: Well, the possibility of Munjya 2 depends on the producers. Now that the movie has been well-received by the audience. So that could be, I would actually like to be on the same front as the audience that yes I would like to manifest and want Munjya 2. So I personally would also urge our directors and the team to create something even bigger and even larger than life for people to experience and just give the love which they have given to Munjya. I believe the love that is pouring in will compel us to do more and more good work. Be it Munjya or any other project. But yes entertainment and the love from the public can make anything possible, that I really believe, so yeah why not. WION: What's the best fan reaction or the critics' review you have seen on the internet? Abhay: Honestly, It comes to me as disbelief that I, Abhay Verma, have fans also. I would really like to mention this one incident which happened when I was surprised visiting theatres in the premiere of Munjya when people were seeing it and the audiences were loving it. One small 5-year-old girl actually wanted a picture with me and when I sat down with her and clicked the picture she actually put a chain out of her neck and gave it to me. This was something special because kids loved whatever they had and did share that easily. But to be able to be gifted a chain from a 5-year-old which I'm still wearing is I think the most special gift that I've gotten or the reaction that I've gotten from my, so to say, fan or a lover or appreciator of my work so that is something which really tops my head. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Abhay Verma (@verma.abhay_) × WION: You started your journey from scratch and have reached a point when you are living the life of a hero. So how does stardom feel? Abhay: From being a boy from Panipat to a leading hero of Munjya, I think it's too good to be true. I believe this is not just a win for me, but it belongs to every single person from a small town, wondering whether they should dream big or not and whether they should be accepted as an actor or not. As I mentioned, this is not my win but every other person who is dreaming of making it big. In my career, doing different roles is the only satisfaction I get and I only want to say that I am coming from all the stereotypes that industry and people have made, like you don't have to do this or that role. I can play anything; from transgender to terrorist and now a simple boy in Munjya, who ultimately becomes a gentleman, so my intent has always been clear.

Interview | Abhay Verma on Munjya 2: 'I personally would urge our directors'

After series of duds at Bollywood&nbsp;box office,&nbsp;supernatural thriller&nbsp;Munjya&nbsp;has emerged as a surprising hit.&nbsp;

Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, the movie starring Abhay Varma and Sharvari tells the story of a young boy Bittu, who is in a battle with a demon Munjya, who had turned his life upside down.&nbsp;

Munjya Box Office Performance

Released on June 7, the movie is earning moolah at the box office not only in metro cities, but also in tier 1 and tier 2 cities.&nbsp;

As per Trade Analyst Taran Adarsh, the movie has earned Rs 36 crore (Rs 360 crore)&nbsp;at the box office in India.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Munjya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Munjya</a> is a BOXOFFICE WINNER… Metros, non-metros, mass pockets / heartland - this horror-comedy has fared EXCEPTIONALLY WELL across the board in Week 1.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Munjya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Munjya</a> faces a new opponent [<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChanduChampion?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChanduChampion</a>] this week, but the victorious performance on weekdays should continue in Week… <a href="https://t.co/9TXyt3HZq2">pic.twitter.com/9TXyt3HZq2</a>
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) <a href="https://twitter.com/taran_adarsh/status/1801463992386469980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Adarsh wrote on X, ''#Munjya is a BOXOFFICE WINNER… Metros, non-metros, mass pockets / heartland - this horror-comedy has fared EXCEPTIONALLY WELL across the board in Week 1.[Week 1] Fri [incl Thu midnight screenings] 4.21 cr, Sat 7.40 cr, Sun 8.43 cr, Mon 4.11 cr, Tue 4.21 cr, Wed 4.11 cr, Thu 4.03 cr. Total: ₹ 36.50 cr. #India biz. #Boxoffice.''

The movie's box office performance might get affected, due to its clash with Kartik Aaryan's big release Chandu Champion.&nbsp;

''#Munjya faces a new opponent [#ChanduChampion] this week, but the victorious performance on weekdays should continue in Week 2 as well… Will hit HALF-CENTURY [₹ 50 cr] in Weekend 2, as per trends,'' Adarsh wrote in his post shared on X.&nbsp;

About Munjya

Munjya is an engaging, entertaining movie filled with more humour and less horror.

It is set in a remote village Chiplun in Konkan area, where people live in&nbsp;fear&nbsp;of a creature named Munjya, whose last desire to marry his lover Munni remains unfulfilled to date.

Parallely, we are introduced to&nbsp;Bittu, a vulnerable young lad, who is living in Pune with his mother and grandmother.

Bittu has connections with Chiplun village, and is continually experiencing eerie flashbacks. Amidst this, he visits his ancestral village and ends up freeing Munjya from the tree where he's been imprisoned for decades.

Written by Niren Bhatt and Yogesh Chandekar, the movie's story is inspired from a piece of Marathi folklore featuring an interesting CGI-created ghoul Munjya.&nbsp;

Apart from Abhay Verma, the movie stars Taranjot Singh as Bittu's cousin Spielberg. Mona Singh, Sharvari and Veteran actress Suhas Joshi play a pivotal part in the movie.&nbsp;

Munjya Review.&nbsp;

WION's Pragati Awasthi called Munjya, ''a entertaining horror comedy with less chills and more laughs.''

''Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, Munjya is an engaging tale with humour taking more space and horror in the backseat, making it a perfect watch for children this summer season. It's worth mentioning that this supernatural thriller comes at a time when Bollywood is not giving us films that are truly theatre-worthy and can be skipped for an OTT release. But thank god, the case is different with Maddock's recent release. While the movie might give you déjà vu of a studio's supernatural universe, it's still entertaining, fun, and eerie at the same time,'' <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-munjya-review-entertaining-horror-comedy-with-less-chills-and-more-laughs-729620">read the full review here.&nbsp;</a>

After series of duds at Bollywood box office, supernatural thriller Munjya has emerged as a surprising hit. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, the movie starring Abhay Varma and Sharvari tells the story of a young boy Bittu, who is in a battle with a demon Munjya, who had turned his life upside down.

After series of duds at Bollywood box office, supernatural thriller Munjya has emerged as a surprising hit. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, the movie starring Abhay Varma and Sharvari tells the story of a young boy Bittu, who is in a battle with a demon Munjya, who had turned his life upside down. Munjya Box Office Performance Released on June 7, the movie is earning moolah at the box office not only in metro cities, but also in tier 1 and tier 2 cities. As per Trade Analyst Taran Adarsh, the movie has earned Rs 36 crore (Rs 360 crore) at the box office in India. #Munjya is a BOXOFFICE WINNER… Metros, non-metros, mass pockets / heartland - this horror-comedy has fared EXCEPTIONALLY WELL across the board in Week 1.#Munjya faces a new opponent [#ChanduChampion] this week, but the victorious performance on weekdays should continue in Week… pic.twitter.com/9TXyt3HZq2 — taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) June 14, 2024 × Adarsh wrote on X, ''#Munjya is a BOXOFFICE WINNER… Metros, non-metros, mass pockets / heartland - this horror-comedy has fared EXCEPTIONALLY WELL across the board in Week 1.[Week 1] Fri [incl Thu midnight screenings] 4.21 cr, Sat 7.40 cr, Sun 8.43 cr, Mon 4.11 cr, Tue 4.21 cr, Wed 4.11 cr, Thu 4.03 cr. Total: ₹ 36.50 cr. #India biz. #Boxoffice.'' The movie's box office performance might get affected, due to its clash with Kartik Aaryan's big release Chandu Champion. ''#Munjya faces a new opponent [#ChanduChampion] this week, but the victorious performance on weekdays should continue in Week 2 as well… Will hit HALF-CENTURY [₹ 50 cr] in Weekend 2, as per trends,'' Adarsh wrote in his post shared on X. About Munjya Munjya is an engaging, entertaining movie filled with more humour and less horror. It is set in a remote village Chiplun in Konkan area, where people live in fear of a creature named Munjya, whose last desire to marry his lover Munni remains unfulfilled to date. Parallely, we are introduced to Bittu, a vulnerable young lad, who is living in Pune with his mother and grandmother. Bittu has connections with Chiplun village, and is continually experiencing eerie flashbacks. Amidst this, he visits his ancestral village and ends up freeing Munjya from the tree where he's been imprisoned for decades. Written by Niren Bhatt and Yogesh Chandekar, the movie's story is inspired from a piece of Marathi folklore featuring an interesting CGI-created ghoul Munjya. Apart from Abhay Verma, the movie stars Taranjot Singh as Bittu's cousin Spielberg. Mona Singh, Sharvari and Veteran actress Suhas Joshi play a pivotal part in the movie. Munjya Review. WION's Pragati Awasthi called Munjya, ''a entertaining horror comedy with less chills and more laughs.'' ''Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, Munjya is an engaging tale with humour taking more space and horror in the backseat, making it a perfect watch for children this summer season. It's worth mentioning that this supernatural thriller comes at a time when Bollywood is not giving us films that are truly theatre-worthy and can be skipped for an OTT release. But thank god, the case is different with Maddock's recent release. While the movie might give you déjà vu of a studio's supernatural universe, it's still entertaining, fun, and eerie at the same time,'' read the full review here.

Munjya box office: Abhay Verma's horror-comedy earns well, mints ₹36 crore

This Friday, we have Munjya in theatres. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, this supernatural thriller, rooted in famous Marathi folklore, is a concoction of humour, horror, and sarcasm, featuring a CGI-made creature, Munjya (far better than the cartoonish characters&nbsp;of&nbsp;Adipurush).

If you have loved watching movies like Stree, Roohi, and Bhediya, then Maddock's recent release is in the same line&nbsp;featuring modern-day youngsters in a battle with a demon they never knew existed.

Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, Munjya is an engaging tale with humour taking more space and horror in the&nbsp;backseat, making it a perfect watch for children this summer season. It's worth mentioning that this supernatural thriller comes at a time when Bollywood is not giving us films that are truly theatre-worthy and can be skipped for an OTT release. But thank god, the case is different with Maddock's recent release. While the movie might give you déjà vu of a studio's supernatural universe, it's still entertaining, fun, and eerie at the same time.

What Munjya Is All About:

Starting with&nbsp;a flashback, the movie is set in Chiplun village of&nbsp;Konkan area, where a young boy, Gotya, has been beaten by his mother over his obsession to marry a girl from his village, Munni. While his love is getting married, on the other side of the road, he's forced to sit in his Munjya ceremony. To get back Munni, who is now married, he turns to black magic and tries to kill his own sister. However, he ends up losing his life&nbsp;and turns into the evil Munjya, whose quest to marry his lover remains unfulfilled. The story fast-forwards, and we are introduced to a shy and young lad, Bittu, who is living in Pune with his mother and grandmother. Bittu is a vulnerable boy who can easily be scared by anything that comes his way. On the romantic front, he's&nbsp;in love with his childhood friend Bela.&nbsp;While he's living a happy life in Pune, Bittu, who is connected to the Chiplun village, is continually experiencing eerie flashbacks. Amidst this, he visits his ancestral village and ends up freeing Munjya from the tree where he's been imprisoned for decades.

Now the evil and notorious Munjya is after him and&nbsp;troubles Bittu to get back his lost love, Munni. However, he ends up liking Bela and wants her now. How Bittu, with the help of his friends, saves Bela makes the rest of the story.&nbsp;

What Works and What Doesn't

Written by Niren Bhatt and Yogesh Chandekar, the movie is a piece of Marathi folklore featuring an interesting CGI-created ghoul that not many are aware of. For people like me who have always had an interest in ancestral ghost stories, this movie is likely to be appealing. However, while the movie doesn't take much time to establish itself, it loses its crispness soon.

Munjya, the CGI monster, is the main attraction of the movie. He's sketched and presented well, with notorious nature, eerie expressions and a dash of childishness that aligns well with the time he&nbsp;died. If only makers had given him more screen presence!&nbsp;

Talking about the plot,&nbsp;there are plenty of movies set in a remote village with a specific cursed area where no one dares to go. So the story might not be unique or striking. But with the basic plot, the makers have shot and presented the movie well with the limited characters. &nbsp; 
 
The moderate yet attractive setting captures the audience's attention in no time and maintains it during the first half of the movie as we get to know the worlds of&nbsp;Bittu and Munjya. However, the script starts to lose its charm in the second half and it seems like the makers don't have much to tell.&nbsp;

Watching the trailer, I had prepared myself for a spooky experience. But the movie disappointed in this aspect too. While they have added enough comic and humorous elements, the horror factor was missing. Furthermore, the plot of the movie was exaggerated with unnecessary characters and scenes. Characters like Elvis Karim Prabhakar (Sathyaraj) don't add much.

The battle in the climax of the movie made no logic to me. It felt rushed and some points felt out of place. Instead of giving it a comical touch, had the makers taken a more serious tone, it could have turned out differently.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;VFX&nbsp;and accurate&nbsp;editing of the movie also kind of&nbsp;saves the films.

Cast Performances

The movie's casting is perfect, and their performances cover the faults of the script in the best way. Most of the movie rests on the shoulders of Bittu, played by Abhay Verma, and his cousin Spielberg, played by Taranjot Singh. From&nbsp;comic timing to performance, the pair has single-handedly made the movie watchable.&nbsp;

Abhay, who you may have seen in Safed and Ae Watan Mere Watan, takes the lead and plays his vulnerable character with utmost honesty. Taranjot Singh,&nbsp;Bittu's sidekick,&nbsp;is impressive as well.&nbsp;

Mona Singh and Sharvari have given credible performances in the limited screen presence they have. Veteran actress Suhas Joshi as Bittu's Ajji brings warmth to the movie.&nbsp;

Watch It or Skip It?

Munjya's plot and setting may be regular, but since it is a thoroughly entertaining horror comedy, you would not regret spending bucks on it.&nbsp;

This Friday, we have Munjya in theatres. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, this supernatural thriller, rooted in famous Marathi folklore, is a concoction of humour, horror, and sarcasm, featuring a CGI-made creature, Munjya (far better than the cartoonish characters of Adipurush).

This Friday, we have Munjya in theatres. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, this supernatural thriller, rooted in famous Marathi folklore, is a concoction of humour, horror, and sarcasm, featuring a CGI-made creature, Munjya (far better than the cartoonish characters of Adipurush). If you have loved watching movies like Stree, Roohi, and Bhediya, then Maddock's recent release is in the same line featuring modern-day youngsters in a battle with a demon they never knew existed. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, Munjya is an engaging tale with humour taking more space and horror in the backseat, making it a perfect watch for children this summer season. It's worth mentioning that this supernatural thriller comes at a time when Bollywood is not giving us films that are truly theatre-worthy and can be skipped for an OTT release. But thank god, the case is different with Maddock's recent release. While the movie might give you déjà vu of a studio's supernatural universe, it's still entertaining, fun, and eerie at the same time. What Munjya Is All About: Starting with a flashback, the movie is set in Chiplun village of Konkan area, where a young boy, Gotya, has been beaten by his mother over his obsession to marry a girl from his village, Munni. While his love is getting married, on the other side of the road, he's forced to sit in his Munjya ceremony. To get back Munni, who is now married, he turns to black magic and tries to kill his own sister. However, he ends up losing his life and turns into the evil Munjya, whose quest to marry his lover remains unfulfilled. The story fast-forwards, and we are introduced to a shy and young lad, Bittu, who is living in Pune with his mother and grandmother. Bittu is a vulnerable boy who can easily be scared by anything that comes his way. On the romantic front, he's in love with his childhood friend Bela. While he's living a happy life in Pune, Bittu, who is connected to the Chiplun village, is continually experiencing eerie flashbacks. Amidst this, he visits his ancestral village and ends up freeing Munjya from the tree where he's been imprisoned for decades. Now the evil and notorious Munjya is after him and troubles Bittu to get back his lost love, Munni. However, he ends up liking Bela and wants her now. How Bittu, with the help of his friends, saves Bela makes the rest of the story. What Works and What Doesn't Written by Niren Bhatt and Yogesh Chandekar, the movie is a piece of Marathi folklore featuring an interesting CGI-created ghoul that not many are aware of. For people like me who have always had an interest in ancestral ghost stories, this movie is likely to be appealing. However, while the movie doesn't take much time to establish itself, it loses its crispness soon. Munjya, the CGI monster, is the main attraction of the movie. He's sketched and presented well, with notorious nature, eerie expressions and a dash of childishness that aligns well with the time he died. If only makers had given him more screen presence! Talking about the plot, there are plenty of movies set in a remote village with a specific cursed area where no one dares to go. So the story might not be unique or striking. But with the basic plot, the makers have shot and presented the movie well with the limited characters. The moderate yet attractive setting captures the audience's attention in no time and maintains it during the first half of the movie as we get to know the worlds of Bittu and Munjya. However, the script starts to lose its charm in the second half and it seems like the makers don't have much to tell. Watching the trailer, I had prepared myself for a spooky experience. But the movie disappointed in this aspect too. While they have added enough comic and humorous elements, the horror factor was missing. Furthermore, the plot of the movie was exaggerated with unnecessary characters and scenes. Characters like Elvis Karim Prabhakar (Sathyaraj) don't add much. The battle in the climax of the movie made no logic to me. It felt rushed and some points felt out of place. Instead of giving it a comical touch, had the makers taken a more serious tone, it could have turned out differently. The VFX and accurate editing of the movie also kind of saves the films. Cast Performances The movie's casting is perfect, and their performances cover the faults of the script in the best way. Most of the movie rests on the shoulders of Bittu, played by Abhay Verma, and his cousin Spielberg, played by Taranjot Singh. From comic timing to performance, the pair has single-handedly made the movie watchable. Abhay, who you may have seen in Safed and Ae Watan Mere Watan, takes the lead and plays his vulnerable character with utmost honesty. Taranjot Singh, Bittu's sidekick, is impressive as well. Mona Singh and Sharvari have given credible performances in the limited screen presence they have. Veteran actress Suhas Joshi as Bittu's Ajji brings warmth to the movie. Watch It or Skip It? Munjya's plot and setting may be regular, but since it is a thoroughly entertaining horror comedy, you would not regret spending bucks on it.

Munjya review: Entertaining horror comedy with less chills and more laughs